'Almost Live' crew returns with 'The 206'

Uh-oh.Lynnwood is going to get picked on again."And Everett. We're an equal-opportunity fun-poker at all towns," said Pat Cashman.Yep, that Pat Cashman.Those funny guys from the skit comedy "Almost Live!" are back with a new TV show, "The 206."The premiere is early Sunday morning following "Saturday Night Live" on KING-TV, Channel 5, and will be repeated at 7:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Sunday on KONG.The show will target local yokels and hot-button issues, such as bad roads, good pot and a sports arena pipe dream. It is named after Seattle's 206 area code."I fought hard for 'The 360' and 'The 425,' but I got overruled," said Cashman, who lives in Snohomish.He said it isn't a reincarnation of "Almost Live!" Well, not totally. "It will be true to the mission of regional comedy," he said, "but a different model.""Almost Live!" was a regional ritual for 15 years when canceled by KING-TV in 1999, to the dismay of many viewers.One fan who plans to stay up late for the debut is Everett Clinic nurse Denise Alexander of Snohomish."It was our humor. It's what's significant to this area," Alexander said. "They would portray us as a bunch of hicks. I love it. Because that's what we are." For sure, the "Lynnwood Beauty Academy" skit with big hair and beer can earrings made people north of King County feel, uh, special.After the show ended, Cashman and writer-host John Keister parlayed their talents into "Biz Kid$," a syndicated public TV series using sketch comedy to teach youth about finance. They also stayed active in Seattle broadcast and comedy scenes.Folks kept stopping them, saying how much they missed "Almost Live!"They missed it, too.Inspiration for a new show came after a YouTube skit they did last summer about the proposed waterfront tunnel in Seattle got thousands of hits, thanks to Cashman's son, Chris."My son is the vanguard of this. He's the savvy one who pushed me forward saying, 'We can do it,' " Pat Cashman said.After all, they weren't getting any younger. "I'm 46 and my son is 35," the elder Cashman said. "John Keister is going to be 30."The brown-haired Cashman duo could almost pass for brothers. Paired with balding white-haired Keister, it's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" meets "Two and a Half Men." The show is billed as: "Bold. Plucky. Electrifying. Reflective. Moist." "The 206" is shot in front of a live standing audience at Mighty Media Studios in a former fire station in Bellevue. As Pat Cashman puts it: "You'll also be able to watch it on your devices, like your tablet, your smartphone, your toaster."How about your VCR?The show is on past her bedtime, so Nicole Robinson, 32, a Lake Stevens mother of two, will program her VCR to tape the return of her favorite comedians."They're hysterical," she said.A 32-year-old with a VCR. Hmmm. Sounds like material for a skit.Andrea Brown; 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.comOn Facebook: More details can be found on "The 206 TV" page.

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